Spring structure



.Aug. 29,1944: A. YOUNG 2,357,248

SPRING STRUCTURE Fi led March 14, 1941 INVENTOR.

ATTOREEYS.

Patented Aug. 29, 1944 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING STRUCTURE Leonard A. Young, Detroit, Mich. Application March 14, 1941, Serial No. 383,317

r 6 Claims. (01. -260) This invention relates to improvements in principles of this invention in the assembly of spring structures. pocketed spring with a border frame, whereby The main objects of this invention are: theindividual pocketed springs are effectively First, to provide an improved coil spring struched in desired relation to the frame and one ture, including a coil spring assembly or unit 5 another.

characterized by the ease of assembly of the Referring to the drawing, the reference nucomponent parts thereof. meral l in general indicates a mattress, cush- Second, to provide a structure inconporating a ion or other structure incorporating the coil spring assembly wherein the border coil springs spring assembly of the present invention. This of the assembly are effectively secured to a bor- 10 assembly includes annular preferably continuder frame to resist accidental displacement ous, top and bottom border frames 3 of resilient therefrom or longitudinal movement thereon and steel stock of a generally flat section, the wider to provide an effective border frame which is surfaces or sides thereof being disposed in the yieldable to vertical stresses while resistant to p a e of the frame There are a plurality of 0011 lateral stresses. springs 4 secured to and supported by frames Third, to provide an assembly or coil spring 3 in the manner to be described, these springs unit of the foregoing character particularly one being interconnected ina well known manner,

employing pocketed or encased springs, whos by the coiled tension connectors or tie eleparts may be readily and quickly assembled by ments 5. I

unskilled or inexperienced workers. g Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the end coils of Objects relating to details and economies of each of the border springs 4 are p d i the invention will appear from the description internally directed p- Offsets generally to follow. The invention is defined in the claims. designated 6. These ofise s e disposed S Preferred embodiment of the invention ar what above or in vertically spaced relation to the illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in plane of the said end coils 4 by the inclined offwhich: sets 7 integral with the arms 8 of the loop-like Fig. 1 is a top plan viewillustrating a cushion ff e s. A ms 8 exten nwar y ne a ly a or mattress incorporating the spring assembly al el to the plane of the end coils as clearly or structure of the invention, the upholstered, illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 and terminate in a padding being removed in part to illustrate in bi t 9 W c is e t wnwar y r l pogeneral manner. the relation of the parts of the e y to h direction of nn in p i ns 1. coil spring assembly. The border frames 3 are provided with a Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary t plan plurality of spaced slits l0, one for each border view further illustrating details of the relation and On either Side of se s he ate of the parts, so far as the border fram a d th 3 rial of the frame is upset at outer and inner connection of the springs to the border frame areas l2, l3 respectively, in opp i e directions. in the assembly is concerned. ,r so as to provide an elongated inwardly opening Fig. 3 is a nenlarged fragmentary view in recess Hv between said areas or portions, which 7 section on line 3-3 of Fig. 4. is of substantial vertical and lateral dimensions Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View in 40 and adapted to receive the spring offsets 6 and elevation viewed from the interior of the border thereby look and s c e p s relative to e frame illustrating the final or completed assemframe as well as prevent end shifting relative bly of the spring therewith. to the frame. 7

Fig. 5 is a'fragmentary view in top elevation In assembling the unit the end co s o he illustrating a locking connection for a border border springs 4 are first disposed adjacent the" frame and spring coil associated therewith in innermost or lower horizontal surface. of the accordance with a modified embodiment of the frame and are then tensioned radially outwardly, invention. 7 i. e., normal to the periphery of the frame; they Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illus-' are then elevated and canted slightly so as to trating the structure of Fig. 5 in th final or enable the bight 9 of the loop-like spring offset, completed stage of the assembly, the position of to be introduced into recess H in the frame. one of the parts in an intermediate stage being So introduced, the inherent spring or the ten- 5 indicated in dotted lines. I sion on the coil tends to assist'in drawing the.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in verloop-like offset into the recess; the parts com-' tical section illustrating the adaptation of the ing to rest in snugly engaged relation as shown ner and not in a limiting in Figse. 2, 3 and 4 with the offset bight 9 engaging the inner edge of the frame and preventing inadvertent displacement. The foregoing is a structure of exceeding simplicity, yet highly effective in securely engaging the spring and frame. The coacting provisions on the said spring and frame are prefabricated and preconformed in their entirety so that all that is necessary in assembling is a single motion of coiltensioning and release which is readily and quickly performed by unskilled workers.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I illustrate a slightly modified embodiment of the invention wherein coil springs l4 having unconformed top and bottom coils are employed. In this embodiment, the border frame 3 is slitted at H] in the manner described above to provide a coil receiving recess. However, the topcoil of the spring is introduced from the inside of the frame by tensioning the same in a direction outwardly normal to the periphery thereof, rather than releasing the same from the outside as in Figs. 1-4. With the coil iproperly introduced and .engaging the upset portion I5, the innnermost upset IB is upset or deformed upwardly and internally of the spring coil, from the dotted line to the solid line position of Fig. 6, to thereafter maintain the same in a securely locked position relative to the frame. This embodiment has substantial rigidity and is comparatively simple, the only steps in the operation being the introduction of the spring coil and the application of a simple upsetting or distorting blow to the frame.

In Fig. '7 there is illustrated the adaptation of the connection shown in Figs. 5 and 6 for the reception and securement of a pocketed spring l1 encased in a burlap or other fabric casing or pocket 18. It will be appreciated that the coacting upsets l5, l6 of the border frame serve to tension somewhat the material of the pocket or casing l8 and to gather the same at the top between the coacting upset portions, the material itself serving to prevent inadvertent removal of the top coil from the frame, so that it is'unnecessary in this case to distort one of the upset portions for this purpose. At the same time the interposed fabric serves as a cushion or silencing material preventing noisy metallic clash at this point. I

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the structure is reversible-that is, it may be disposed either side up as in a mattress or double faced cushion. The invention, however, is desirable for embodiment in spring structures of the automobile seat or back or chair cushion type in which a supporting frame is provided for the bot tom ends of the springs, the top border frame and the connections of the springs thereto being in accordance with the present invention. a

I have illustrated and described the embodiments of my invention which incorporate the principles of the invention in a highly desirable manner. It should be understood that the foregoing terminolO y is used in a descriptive mansense, the scope of the invention-claimed being set forth in the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A spring assembly of the type described comprising a border frame having a generally flat section disposed with the wider surfaces thereof in the plane of the frame, said frame .ment relative to the frame having a plurality of elongated slits therein intermediate its inner and outer edges, extending longitudinally of the frame, the material of the latter being distorted in opposite vertical directions on either side of said slits to provide spaced recesses opening laterally of said frame, and a plurality of border springs connected to said frame, the end coils of said springs being provided with inwardly directed loop-like offsets each terminating in a vertically deflected bight adapted to be introduced in one of said recesses between said oppositely distorted frame portions, the offset being laterally positioned by engagement with the ends of the distorted portions and being restrained from outward separating moveby said deflected bight.

2. A spring assembly of the type described comprising a border frame having a generally flat -section disposed'with the wider surfaces thereof in the plane of the frame, said frame having a plurality of elongated slits therein intermediate its inner and outer edges, extendin longitudinally of the frame, the material of the latter being distorted in opposite vertical directions on either side of said slits to provide spaced recesses opening laterally of said frame, and a plurality of border springs connected to said frame, the end coils of said springs being provided with inwardly directed loop-like offsets each terminating in a bight adapted to be introduced in one of said recesses between said oppositely distorted frame portions, the offset being laterally positioned by engagement with the ends of the distorted portions and restrained from movement longitudinally of the frame by said engagement.

3. A spring assembly of the type described comprising a border frame having a generally flat section disposed with the wider surfaces thereof in the plane of the frame, said frame having a plurality of elongated slits therein intermediate its inner and outer edges, extending longitudinally of the frame, the portions of the latter on opposite sides of said slits being offset relative to one another to provide spaced recesses opening laterally of said frame, and a plurality of border springs connected to said frame, the end coils of said springs being provided with inwardly directed loop-like offsets extending into said recesses from the exterior side of the frame.

4. A spring assembly of the type described comprising a border frame having a generally fiat section disposed with the wider surfaces thereof in the plane of the frame, said frame having a plurality of elongated slits therein intermediate its inner and outer edges, extending longitudinally of the frame, the portions of the latter on opposites sides of said slits being offset relative to one another to provide spaced preformed permanent recesses opening laterally of said frame, and a plurality of border springs connected to said frame, the end coils of said springs being introduced in said recesses between said frame portions, said end coils having substantial overlapping supporting engagement onopposite sides thereof with said respective offset portions, and being laterally positioned by engagement With the ends of the offset frame portions and restrained from movement longitudinally of the frame by said engagement, the frame and a coil positioned thereby having coacting engaging portions retaining and. preventing displacement of thecoil from the frame in the plane of the latter and normal to the frame.

5. A spring assembly of the type described comprising a border frame having a plurality of recesses opening laterally of the same, and a plurality of border springs connected to said frame, the end coils of said springs being provided with inwardly directed loop-like offsets each terminating in a vertically deflected bight portion adapted to be introduced in one of Y said recesses and sprung over an edge of said frame, the offset being laterally positioned by engagement with the ends of the recess and restrained from movement longitudinally of the frame by said engagement.

6. In a spring assembly, the combination of a. plurality of border springs provided with inwardly directed loop-like offsets each terminating in a vertically deflected bight portion, and a border frame having a generally flat section disposed with the wider surface thereof in the plane of the frame,said border frame havin a plurality of elongated slits therein providing coacting pairs of straps, said straps being offset relative to each other, said spring offsets being engaged between said straps with the border frame disposed in subtending relation to the end coils of the springs provided with such offsets. LEONARD A. YOUNG. 

